Somnambulism
by ToxicTreacle
Summary: Rouge had always wondered why Shadow never slept within her or anyone else's sight. And, after discovering the sleeping being, she has the unfortunate opportunity to find out... One-Shot.


**Somnambulism**

**s-S-s**

The house was dark and dreary in the night, its shingled slates easing their way across the motionless roof. A lone figure stood by the door, which was almost hanging off its hinges, metal rusted and old.

The intruder blinked several times, before setting a hand on the knob, twisting it, and allowing the door to creak open.

"Shads?"

The trespasser peered about the room, fascinated by how lonely it was, and how, despite its business earlier on, it wasn't as dilapidated as she thought it was.

No one had used the place in months; the Chaotix had been long gone before this.

The darkness hid her surprised gaze as it passed over a black, cushioned, office chair, which gently swung from side to side. It seemed so fragile, the way it moved like that, yet something told the Mobian that it wasn't doing this action itself. At least, she thought so.

The creature slowly stepped forward, her structure unsure as her boots clattered lightly on the floor.

"**Maria…?"**

She stopped dead in her tracks, fearing she had been detected: her heart was going a mile a minute, her steps slurring.

"**No…!"**

It took her a moment to realize that the voice was a mumble, one which seemed as shocked as she was.

She swallowed, wondering what the other would do to her if he caught her snooping about. But then…

What was she worried about? They were friends, right?

"…**You…"**

She hesitantly took another step forward, brow lowered as she made out the surroundings around her.

Scattered papers… Broken shelves... Flickering lights…. Shattered light bulbs… Smashed windows... Half-torched money bags… Fallen shurikens... A ripped up picture book and snapped crayons…

She had to wonder how the detective office got so bad like this.

"**Leave…"**

The voice was growling now, no longer mumbling as it had done before.

Rouge shuddered: the room was so cold... and the atmosphere wasn't doing her any justice.

"**Now…!"**

The batgirl wished she could do that, but her conscience was currently holding her back.

"Hey… Shads? You okay?"

"**NO!"**

She jumped at that sudden outburst, but held her ground, and stealthily walked closer.

"Do you need any h-h-help?"

It struck her as odd that her tone was suddenly broadened with fear; she was underestimating her increasing fright.

Her hands leaned in on the table, and one of them reached over, slowly, yet tentatively, to the chair, like she was about to prod a dangerous lion. She spun the seat around slowly, and her eyes widened a tad when they witnessed a sleeping form in front of them.

Shadow the Hedgehog laid there, his head, holding closed black eyes, back and clutching the armrests in a restless manner. He squirmed about slightly, as if disturbed by something in his almost peaceful sleep.

Upon this discovery, Rouge reared a little.

"Shadow…?"

After realizing how loud his name had been said, she quickly silenced herself, and quietly mused, 'So this is your, "undercover," work…'

A silence travelled through the room, and the bat heard him give a low growl.

"**Maria… They **_**will**_** pay…"**

Rouge frowned, pursing her lips together as her facial expression pieced together sympathy: she could easily guess what he was dreaming about…

She bravely held her hand out to the Ultimate Lifeform, threatening to brush through his untamed quills as her anxious line evolved into a sweet yet almost motherly smile. They touched them for only a second, before hesitating and then starting again after they felt the hedgehog stir. He only did this for a second, though, as his misery seemed to have been put to rest… for a moment, anyway.

The lack of mumbles in the air seemed slightly off to Rouge, as she finally felt the room's unique atmosphere itself. Though, she ungrudgingly held her scare-o-meter, attempting not to retreat away from the building.

After a few minutes of stroking his bright, yet rough streaks, the bat stopped in mid-motion, only staring at those still, charcoal eyelids with concerned confusion.

"Oh, Shads… I thought you'd put the past behind you, now…"

She grimaced for a moment, shaking her head and withdrawing her hand.

…

…

…

"Shadow?"

She blinked blankly at her hand, seeing it caught within his firm grip, which seemed to throttle with new-found adrenalin.

"**YOU…"**

The female's gloved hand tried to wrench away, figuring that personal space seemed most important right now, but his grasp intensified around her wrist, hurting it and causing her to quietly yelp.

"Shadow… Get o-o-off," she ordered, her voice suddenly quivering with panic.

She knew **exactly** what Shadow the Hedgehog was capable of.

"…**KILLED…"**

The ebony one's tone was much harsher than before, holding nothing but pure hatred and malice.

The agent pulled at her arm again, desperately trying to slip away before things got too out of hand.

"Shadow… l-l-let go…" she stuttered. "S-S-Shads…"

"…**HER."**

As fast as the blue blur, a hand abruptly shot to her neck, lifting her off the ground, and causing the bat to flail about wildly.

"S-S-S-SHADOW! P-p-p-please…!" Her sentence came to a grave halt, and the batwoman gave a choked screech when the strangler's hold on her tightened severely.

Her azure orbs met with his crimson ones.

The hedgehog rapidly stood from the chair, shoving it aside, and causing the victim to rise higher into the air whilst she started squirming indefinitely.

The poor girl winced open an eye, winding as the hand compressing around her wind-pipe blocked her way of oxygen; her heart rate quickened so fast, that she felt it without placing a hand to check it.

Despite his first set of blank yet unaware features, Rouge almost swore she saw a sadistic-looking smirk on his tanned muzzle, one that almost resembled madness; madness possibly inspired by another abomination she had once known.

The Ultimate Lifeform ignored the need to sympathize, and stared intently at his victim, holding a horrifying malevolence.

Within moments, force shifted, sending her flying backwards into the wall, and leaving a devastating, 'CRACK!' to enter the bat's sensitive ears. Screws slid out of a nearby shelf, causing it to fall and almost topple onto her, had she not moved her now brittle body.

She carefully raised her head, her body aching as she tried to stand with the aid of a nearby coat rack; she was breathing heavily as the precious oxygen returned.

She barely had time to get few words out, "S-S-Shadow, it's m—!"

Those hands heaved her into the wall, one of them launching a stray fist at her stomach, and causing another whimper of agony.

"**You will pay for what you did, you pitiful mortal!"**

"Sto—!" The bat suffered another punch, which held no such mercy.

He neared her face, blood red eyes glaring at her, watching her, and, audibly, growling at her.

"Shadow… It's m-m-me! Can't y-y-you—?"

He cut her off again, grumbling incoherently as he whirled her around into a one-eighty, forcing her to surge through the air and into another wall at the other side of the room.

Bruises and scuffs were present around Rouge's fur, as she had landed in a bucket full of forsaken ash. She spluttered and stared ahead as the dwindling figure approached with his fists tense and unnerving.

"**You will pay…"**

She shuffled to the side, seeing the door on her right as she attempted to bring her aching body upwards, to escape this damned place. She tried to ease herself out of view; as if she thought the stronger one wouldn't see her if she acted quickly.

She was dead wrong.

His footsteps sped, and, once again, he had the dear bat cornered with no way out. His hand sparked, something dwelling in his fist as he closed in on the agent.

Blue orbs dilated when they realized the spear he held in his hands was more death-like than anything else he had already dished out.

"…**with your life."**

There was another sharp intake of air, and, immediately, the albino was hovering over the murky floor, her eyes wide and full of fright, and her body stiff as that same glove wrapped around her hidden neck, another holding the light knife near said area.

Shadow seethed with grinding fangs, **"End of the line, **_**human**_**."**

As soon as he spoke those words, Rouge knew his intentions weren't for her.

Gathering her unwilling courage, she gave a quick jolt to her foot, which struck the hedgehog's abdomen, causing him to stumble back and curse as he lost his bearing on the ivory creature.

And then, his eyelids slowly, yet groggily, flickered from open to close, and then close to open.

The red orbs saw the mess about the room. They saw the tipped over chair. They saw the opened door. They saw the dusty footprint silhouettes along the floor. Then, they saw…

Rouge.

Battered and panting. Limping and gripping a chair for support. Rough, scuffed fur. Narrowed, yet hurt eyes. Small dribbles of liquid falling…

…

His own brow narrowed, before it lifted in bewilderment.

Why was his partner like that?

"R-R-Rouge…?"

She tried to hold her ground, her face holding sorrow and pained emotion as she carefully placed a hopeful hand on the wall. Her tears were both out of anguish and hurt for what the other had done to her; she couldn't believe what had gone on herself.

"Rouge?"

She didn't even glance at him; she just ignored.

"What happened to you…?"

She turned her head slightly, eyeing him suspiciously as she shook her head to deny that the previous event had ever occurred. "Nothing happened to me, Shadow." Her gaze moved swiftly to the door.

His expression was just as perplexed as he saw her head for the door. Being concerned for her well being, he stepped towards her, attempting to be a gentleman as to aid her attempt to walk.

As soon as he touched her arm, she shot him a stern stare and pushed his hand away, before hurriedly making her way to the entrance, despite her horrible limping posture.

"Rouge…" He blinked at her. "Tell me... What happened? Was someone in here? Did they hurt you?"

She gave a side-glance, and then pursed her lips, before trying to grab the door's knob as it stood there, unlocked. "S-Shads… Don't worry a-about it…"

The hedgehog approached her again, persisting with that same command, "…Tell me."

She stood, hobbling with an upset structure, on the doorstep outside, the door knob in her grasp as she held it open, half-wise. "See you at work, Shadow..."

With those words, the albino slammed the door, leaving the hedgehog in the dark, cold and alone once more.

What _had_ he done?

**s-S-s**

**;-; Oh, what have I done?! Why does my story's plot hurt me so terribly when I read it?! D'''X**

***Sigh,* I am such a meanie…**

**Anyways… This was a random idea that popped into my head today. I guess the random question of why Shadow doesn't sleep often came to mind, or something. Not that we see any of the characters sleep… well, almost. That question, and I had Darkrai on my mind. So, nightmares… yeah. And sleepwalking... way beyond it.**

**I hope you enjoyed it, or… cried over it. I'm tearing up as I'm writing these notes… seriously. :'(**

**It'd be nice to see a review, criticism, comments, or anything of the like…**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Shadow or Rouge. All rights go to SEGA.**


End file.
